Process: a Poetry Friday post

[kellyrfineman]

About a month ago, I heard Billy Collins read some of his poetry at the Free Library in Philadelphia. It's the second time I've heard Collins read in person, although I've heard other of his poems online - he is on NPR, and all over YouTube, for example. I happen to like his poems, and I definitely like how he reads them. After his reading, Collins

Comments

[anonymous]

Elaine M.

Thanks for the information about Billy Collins. I enjoy reading his poetry--and hearing him read it. I've never had the opportunity to see him in person though.

Regarding the writing of crappy poems: I guess I feels it's of value too. I remember once attending a writers' conference at a local college many years ago. The professor who organized the conference said something like the following: Every writer has the right to write garbage from time to time.

Have a great weekend, Kelly!

[kellyrfineman]

I agree with you on the crappy poems issue - they are still worth the time, even if it's just because I've written something - anything. And without the crap, I don't think we get to the good stuff.

[jeannineatkins]

Thanks for sharing the delight of Billy Collins's observations and the glimpse into your process. I read this earlier today and promised myself I could come back later to reread. I love the work of Billy Collins and it sounds like he also talks about it in an engaging way.

I'm all for writing bad bad poems on my hopeful way to a good phrase or two.

I envy you and Angela at your table on Thursday!

[kellyrfineman]

Collins is exceptionally engaging and entertaining. Not sure what he's like as a person in real life, but his public persona is charming.

I don't mind the bad poems either, as long as I get to the good eventually.

[dianemdavis]

would love to write to prompts with you or others this summer. I'm going to be laid up and it will be a great time to write. I tend to do my better poems spontaneously, and most often to prompts. The ones I work on, I tend to overwrite. I haven't found a way to resolve not overworking them yet. But sometimes just writing more and more new ones to similar prompts will develop a poem that can take the place of the overworked one.

I love Collins, and love that you shared your observations with us. He really is an inspiration.

[kellyrfineman]

Shall I send you a weekly prompt this summer as Angela and I do them? I could email you. Just drop me a note at my website (kellyfineman.com) if you want me to send you some. Or get a copy of The Write-Brain Workbook, which comes with PLENTY of prompts - enough for one a day, even!

[kellyrfineman]

Me too - especially KS & OZ, but I thought he made excellent points.

[poetteach]

Thanks, Kelly, for sharing your process. I wonder when you sit down to write, do you think, "I'll write a poem for a child or adult"? Or do you just follow the prompt wherever it takes you?

Thanks for the insight to Billy Collins, one of my favorite poets.

Also, I clicked on your links to your poems. You write excellent poetry. In the poems I read, you make great use of the narrative element.

Laura Evans
all things poetry

[kellyrfineman]

Why, thank you for the comments on my poems. Funniest thing is that I don't generally put my best work up here, since I'd rather try to sell it.

The prompts I do with Angela usually lead to poems for grown-ups, in part because the prompts are designed for writers who write for the adult market. But not always. I just go with what springs to mind and go from there.

And if you ever get the chance to hear Collins read in person, I hope you jump on it - he's brilliant!